Spinning Progress and a sneak peak for the next Maine Fiber Issue

Progress. 

It's such a beautiful thing. 

Especially with a little one at my feet.

I've some how managed to finished my white Navajo Churro fleece in the space of 2 weeks. 

I will have 7 skeins of single, woolen spun, aran weight, and 2 double plied, bulky, extra large skeins available dyed in various plants- some of which will be with New Mexican foraged plants I dried and brought home. Like Cota, or Navajo Tea which will yield light to medium earthy orange. I cannot wait!!

I promptly started in on the grey Navajo Churro fleece I bought from Tierra Wools in Los Ojos, New Mexico. 

I L O V E spinning this fleece sooooooooooooooo much. 

It's a larger size, the guard hairs are slightly softer and slightly less then the white fleece. 

And there is tons of long ultra soft wool, still with a bit of lanolin. 

I was hoping I could finish up this fleece by the end of this month, that's 7 days left. However, as of right now I have 11, 4 oz batts to spin. If I spin one a day and add a few extras on a few days, I can do it. We'll see. When I spin my single aran weight yarns though, I can fill a bobbin in about 40 minutes. 

In addition to all this spinning and staying home with my 7 month old love, I've been working on the issue of Northern Journeys Magazine for my Your Maine Fiber Connection column. Which will be out on April 1st. If you do not live in Maine, you can follow my link above to read the online edition. 

Northern Journeys Magazine is a free quarterly all arts publication. 

For this next issue I've interviewed the Cumberland County 4H Wool Breeders Group AND Nancy and Al of New Aim Farm and Mill in Waldoboro. 

In this section there will also be a seasonal plant dye recipe and a calendar of fiber events coming up. 

The flock at New Aim Farm and Mill, California Variegated Mutant Sheep

5 Years at Medomak!

5 years ago I was asked to teach at the New England Fiber Arts Retreat. 

Joining a few other amazingly talented instructors, whom I LOVE to bits, 

I stepped into this soft embrace that is Medomak.

Here's a wee sampling of the classes I taught this year. 

 Day 1: Foraging For Color

Everytime I teach this class, I am blessed with learning new things. 

Above is Allison from Western Mass who came for her 2nd year. 

From left to right, 

choke cherry, jewel weed, fern, pine needles, moss.

This year, we tried what ever we felt like and had a blast experimenting!

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Day 2: Rainbows in our Dye Pots

Despite the fact that I forgot my soda ash,

everything worked out and dyed beautifully!

As I was setting up that morning. 

I gave myself the biggest fright when I realized my soda ash never made it off my studio table at home and into my basket. The kitchen very kindly cooked up baking soda for us so that we'd have, in the end, soda ash/ washing soda. The class was saved!

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Day 3: Shibori and Bundling

Here in this class we just dove into binding and resist making with stones, rubber bands, threads, folding, and plants. Unfolding everything after it had steeped and cured for over 24 hours, was a whole camp event. It was like fire works as we unfolded each piece. Such a fun and free spirited activity. Even for just the on-lookers. Can't wait to do this again. 

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Day 4: Botanical Embroidery

It was a wonderful way to start to wind down the week.

To sit in a quiet group. 

In a quiet space.

And stitch.

That same day we also traveled to Cushing to visit 

Katharine Cobey's Studio

These last 3 photos are from previous years as I forgot to take a few more inside this year. 

Silly me. 

Katharine is a wonderful host and always teaches us 2-3 knitting techniques. 

This year, amazingly, she taught us double brioche. I say amazingly beacuse it was also what Bristol Ivy was teaching in one of her knitting classes. We also learned Grecian Lace. 

Visiting Katharine is always such a treasure in the already beautiful week of fiber. 

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Day 5: Drop Spindle

I always love teaching how to use the drop spindle. 

It's what I used when I taught myself, now 14 years ago.

Give me 1, give me many, I will teach you how to use a drop spindle. The Russian/ Turkish spindle being my perferred choice just because I love how it stores the yarn. If your looking for this style, Casey over at Portfiber carries them. And they are made by Peace Fleece.

When I wasn't teaching, I enjoyed the lake as much as possible

and got some foraging in.

I am afraid this post is a bit one sided though

as there were many other amazing classes going on-

all kind of weaving, 

knitting, 

felting,

carding,

crocheting,

stitching

and spinning.

On the last night, we brought all our projects together. Both finished and in process. And Shared.

I'm always so proud and over joyed to be part of this week with all these amazing and talented people. 

Every year I leave knowing I've made a couple dozen new friends. 

Re-entering the real world was not hard.

But not being surrounded by 30+ fiber crafters, clicking of needles, giggles, and wine was sorely missed. 

However, it had been about 2 weeks since I spent any time with my husband as he was away the week before I left. 

We all clearly missed each other. 

That's Lemon Drop (she was a soft yellow as a chick) on Jubal's shoulder

Tulip and Olive staying close by. 

In the few days that followed, I checked on my fermenting jars

that held tiger lilies, mint and then a yellow bell pepper I added to the group. 

Finished up my pygora fiber on the drop spindle

and then orgainzed the painting studio.

Till next year Fiber Lovies!!

oxox

Upcoming Workshops

I've got a full line up of workshops this spring and summer. 

A little something for everyone. 

Feel free to email me with any questions about any of them.

44clovers@gmail.com

You can also check out my new website at 

44clovers.com

I've been running a series of natural dye workshops in conjuction with Portfiber 

all this spring. 

I have 3 classes left;

Natural Dyeing Basics

1 day; Sunday May 18, 2014

11am-3pm

$75

Feel free to bring fiber/ fabric in 4oz lots for dyeing. 

Whatever you like from wool, silk, angora, camel, etc. 

You can also purchase fiber from a wide variety at Portfiber the day of. 

You'll learn mordant basics and shortcuts, over dying, heating requirements, and much more. 

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Natural Dyeing for Sewists

2 Days; Sunday June 1st, 2014 11am-3pm at Portfiber

Thursday June 5th 6:15pm-8pm at Z Fabrics.

$105 for both workshops and all materials included

You'll learn so many skills in these two days;

natural dyeing on fabric

shibori methods

hemming techniques

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Natural Dyeing for Needle Felters

2 Days; Saturday June 14th 1pm-4pm at Portfiber

Saturday June 21st 1pm-4pm

$140 for both workshops and all materials included

We'll be working with raw Irish Texel fleece I brought back from Ireland:)

Bring along picture of your favrorite songbirds if you'd like. 

I'll also have pictures from magazines and books. 

We'll work on those tiny beautiful details that make songbirds so remarkable. 

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AT THIS YEARS MAINE FIBER FROLIC

The fiber frolic is a 2 day wonder of fibery delights ranging from animals, demonstrations, beautiful hand made goods, fiber materials and equipment. 

It's one of my favroite weekend of the whole years. 

This is the first year I'll be teaching at the Frolic and I'm SO EXCITED. 

Under the Rainbow in the Dye Pot

Saturday June 7th, 2014

9:30am-12:30pm

USing just 3 dye pots, I'll show you how to use natural dye pigment powders to dye dye each color of the rainbow. Then using a special technique, we'll make a self striping rainbow yarn. You can then use both dyed batches of yarn to incorporate into any of your fiber projects, rugs, weaving, knitting, crochet, or fulling

workshop fee: $75

materials fee: $15

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Lichen Magic

Saturday June 7th, 2014 

1:30pm-4pm

We'll talk about properly collecting within a context, indentification of lichens, and their fascinating properties. I'll also show you to test and prepare lichens for dyeing in order to extract their exciting colors which range from golds, orange, red, purple, and blues. We will also be dyeing up samples from my lichen fermentation jars. 

Workshop fee- $65

Materials fee- $10

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Foraging for Color

Sunday June 8th

10am-2:30pm with lunch break

Every plant  holds pigment inside. It's through experimenting that we find out what colors our neighboring plant life hold. We will discuss foraging with an ecological context, identify, and test what we collect for color using non-toxic mordants on silk fabrics and wool yarn samples. 

Workshop fee: $75

Materials fee: $10

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PEAKS ISLAND FIBER ARTS CAMP

 Peaks Island Fiber Arts Camp was founded by Laura Glendening and Susan Hanley in 2004 - now in it’s eleventh year of sharing a unique blend of arts, crafts & outdoor fun on Peaks Island. Our camps offer a summer time balance of learning skills, exploring & creating, and time for hanging out with new friends in a kind and cooperative environment. This year Susan will be taking the summer off and fellow Islander and textile artist Rachel Bingham Kessler will be filling in. We are happy to offer individual and group lessons too, please contact us for information.

To reserve a place in a camp, send in the following info; Your child's name
Age
Parents' name
Address
Phone number
Email
Which week you'd like to attend

Each camp enrolls just 8-12 campers, so please, To register and hold your spot, mail in your non-refundable deposit of $100 payment to:
Peaks Island FIber Camp
Laura Glendening
17 Sterling St
Peaks Island, Maine 04108
207-766-5705, lrglendening@gmail.com

Early Summer Days

Whittling, creature making and mud oven granola baking!

Spend the early days of summer relaxing with new friends and a project or two. We’ll whittle a walking stick and knitting needles - visit beaches and share stories. We’ll make a piece of fabric from which little animals & creatures will grow. And we’ll heat up the mud oven and bake delicious homemade granola!

June 23-27, 8:30-2:30. Ages 7-12 $285

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Fabric Collage

Create a beautiful light & colorful collage. Using Matisse’s cut outs as inspiration campers will create their own colors, shapes, and patterns with silk cloth. We’ll experiment with designs and lay-outs. When all the pieces of the collage are ready they will be held together, not by sewing, but by felting.

June 30-July 3, 8:30-2:30 ages 8-14 $235
Four Day Camp

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Still Life and Lunch

Fruit salad, bread, blueberry hand pies, pizza and more. We’ll spend the first part of each day drawing & painting the day’s ingredients. Then we’ll work together to prepare the recipe of the day. Finally we’ll enjoy the good food we’ve made. On Friday we’ll sew together a book using our drawings and paintings, recipes may be included too.

July 21st-July 25th 8:30-2:30 ages 6-14, $285

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Bugs Tracks and Crafts

Follow the paths of snails, bumbles, and hermit crabs while we explore the beach, garden, and forest for these tiny creatures. We’ll inspect their track habitats, and nests. Then using various textile textures, techniques, and our imagination, we’ll create unique keepsakes capturing the nature of these tiny creatures.

August 18-22nd, ages 6-12, $285

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NEW ENGLAND FIBER ARTS RETREAT

an all inclusive fiber arts retreat where you will be fed so well, make wonderful new friends

go on farm and studio field trips and take some amazing classes with some of Maine's most talented fiber artists. 

Another favorite time of year for me! 

This will be my 5th year teaching at Medomak and we've all been working hard to being new classes to the table. 

I am only 1 of 4 other instructors. All of us veterans by now. 

Bill Huntington

Bristol Ivy

Casey Ryder

Dana Fadel

Here's a short list of some of our exciting offerings through out the whole week. taught by me, 

felted soaps * inkle weaving * rigid heddle space weaving * felted landscapes * weaving on a 4-harness loom * tapestry weaving * tunisian crochet * knitting outside the box * finishing techniques * windrow cowl * beginning lace * knitting in the round * intarsia & duplicate stitch * to build a hat * stranded/ fair isle knitting * diagonal knitting/ felted bag * coils and core spinning * drop spindle spinning * carding to spin * botanical embroidery * embroidery 101 * shibori & bundles * rainbows in our dye pots * foraging for color

Holy Moly! That is a lot of classes!!

for more information contact our Director, Casey Ryder: casey@medomakcamp.com

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I am so blessed to have the oppertunity to work with all these wonderful fiber folks who are also dear friends. 

When I'm not knitting, spinning, and dyeing, I'm drawing up new class ideas and refining seasoned ones. 

I will also be adding a few plant dye workshops that will be happening here at my home on Peaks this summer, so keep a look out. 

If you have questions about any of these happenings or would like me to come teach in your area, I'd love to hear from you. 

44clovers@gmail.com

ox, Rachel